Burial vault



F. E. NINDE BURIAL VAULT Aug. 20, 1935.

Filed June 22, 1952 (Ittorneg.

its final position, which can be manufactured,

Patented Aug. 20, 1935 UNITED STATES BURIAL VAULT Francis Earl Ninde,Tulsa, Okla.

Application June 22, 1932, Serial No. 618,649

9 Claims. (01. 27-17) The object of my present invention, broadlyspeaking, is the provision of a burial vault which is simple inconstruction, attractive and pleasing in appearance, easily operated toplace it in sold, and installed at a comparative low price, and whichwill be highly appreciated by morticians.

More specifically stated, my object is the pro vision of a'burial vaultwhich is adapted to be hermetically sealed, quickly, effectually, andpermanently, whereby it will be absolutely impervious to both fluids andgases, or other chemical ingredients, and in which the parts,constitutingmy invention, will not be visible to the casual observer.

- Other objects and particular advantages of my invention'will suggestthemselves throughout the following specification, and that which is newwill be correlated in theappended claims.

The means whereby the principles of my invention may be carried out ingapractical, efficient, and highly delectable manner, is shown in Vporating the new and novel features of my invention. Figure 2 is adetail section, as-taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1, showing the partsas" secured in operative positions. I Figure 3 is a detail section,showing the same as Fig. 2, but with the parts separated, or detachedwith relation to each other.

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view, as taken in the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.Figure 5 is a perspective view of a burial vault, similar to that shownin Fig. 1, but with an alternative feature incorporated therein. Figure6 is a detail section, as taken on the line 66 of Fig. 5. Figure '7 is adetail section, taken from the same line as Fig. 6, but showing theparts separated. Figure 8 is'a detail section, as taken on the line 8-4!of Fig.5; and Figure 9 is a detail section, as taken the ends, areformed integral with the bottom of the vault, will appear as in Figs. 12, 3, and 4. This arrangement permits the body of the vault to be placedin its final position, placing the casket therein, and finally placingthe top in final position, as in Fig. 1.- Or, as an alternativearrangement my invention may be-employed around the. lower part of thevault, as shown in Figs. 5, 6, '7, 8 and 9. This latter arrangementpermits the bottom alone, of the vaultjtobe placed in its final positionfirst, placing a casket thereon, and finally placing the body of thevault, with the top integral therewith, in final position, as in Fig.5;However the means for obtaining said alternative features require nomaterial changes in the elements of my invention, but simply thereversal, end for end, of said parts.

The basis for my invention,' and for either arrangement shown, comprisesa vault, consist ing of the bottom A; the two sides B; the two ends C;and the top D, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5.

As to the invention proper I will first describe the arrangement of theparts pertaining especially to Fig. 1. Extending directly downward fromaround the lower edges of the top D, is the fiange or tongue I. Theupper portions of the sides B and the ends C form a tongue 2, as indiecated in Figs. 2 and 3, which tongue isin sliding contact with thetongue I which extends around the vault. Secured to the undersideof thetop Dis a bracket 3, which hastwo downwardly extending tongues 4 and 5,which are spaced apart, and likewise are spaced from the tongue I,thereby forming two downwardly opening slots 6 and l, as is clearlyshown in Fig. 3.

Secured around to the inner face of the sides B, and the ends C, is abracket '8, whose upper part forms'an offset tongue 9, which is parallelwith and spaced from the tongue 2, forming a slot lli therebetween. 'Thetongue 2 isadapted to enter the slot 5, and the tongue!) is adapted toenter the slot I, both of which areshown in Fig. 2. Formed horizontallyaround in the tongue 5 is a rounded concave-convex ridge 5a, with itsconcave face directed into "the slot 1. Likewise a companion ridge 9a isformed around in the'tongue 9, whose concavo face isdirected outwardly.When the tongue 9 is fully inserted in the slot 1, the ridge 9a willnest in the concavo channel of the ridge 5a, thereby forming aninterlock. That is, as the tongue, 9 is being "inserted in the slot 1,it is evident that the ridge 90. will cause the tongue 5' to springinwardly until the ridge 9a isente'red' in the concave ole:

pression of the ridge So, then the tongue 5 will, by its own resiliency,spring back to its normal position, thereby interlocking the memberstogether in the relative positions shown in Fig. 2.

It is to be understood that the members I, 2, 3 and 4 extendcontinuously, that is entirely, around all four sides of the vault;while the member 5 is in four parts, or lengths, extending entirelyaround the vault, except at each corner of the vault where ashort spaceis provided, as indicated by the letter X in Fig. 9.

Numeral 3i) designates a curtain or the like, which is suspended fromthe shoulder of the bracket 8, as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, and itextends downwardly to near the bottom A, and entirely around the insideof the vault, and its function is merely to give an artistic effect andto cover the inner wall of the vault.

Turning now, more particularly, to the alternative arrangement of myvault, wherein the line of separation is at the lower part of the vault,rather than at the upper part thereof as above described, In this latterinstance the structure is substantially the same, with the exception ofits being oppositely disposed.

Turned upwardly from each of thesides, or

. q ger edges, of vthe bottom A, is a flange or tongue II. The lowerportions of the sides 13 each forms a tongue I2, which tongues are insliding contact with the outer face of the respective tongue II, andthey extend downwardly even with the lower face of the bottom A. Thelower portions of the ends C eachform a flange I3, which are adapted torest on, or near, the surface of the bottom A, as indicated in Fig. 8.

Secured on the surface of the bottom A, and extending across each endthereof, is a bracket I4, with a tongue I5 extending therefrom, whichtongues are adapted to be in sliding contact with their respectiveflanges I3. Secured on each of th brackets I4 is a secondbracket IS,with a tongue I! extending upwardly therefrom, and spaced from therespective tongues I5. Secured on the surface of the bottom A, andextending along each side thereof, is a bracket I8, with a tongue I9extending upwardly therefrom, which tongue I9 is spaced from the tonguesII and I5, and form a continuation of the tongue I'I. Formed between thetongues II-I9 and l5-I'I is a'slot 2B.

Secured to the inner sides of the members B and C, and extendingentirely around inside the vault, is a bracket 2|, which has the twospaced apart tongues 22 and 23- depending therefrom, with the tongue 22alsospaced from the tongue I2, and parallel therewith.

The spacing of the tongues I2, 22 and 23 form the slots 24 and 25. It isto be understood that the members I I, I2, I5 and 22 extendcontinuously, that is entirely, around all four sides of the vault;while the 'members IQ and 23 are in four parts, that is,.- extendingentirely around they vault, except at 'eachcorner thereof, where a shortspace is provided, as indicated at X in Fig. 9. a

. Formed horizontally through the extent of and in the tongues I 9 andZ3, isfiarounded or concavo-convex ridge I9a and 23a, respectively,which are adapted, when the vault is fully closed, to nest together,thereby forming an interlock, as above set forth with relation to themembers 5n and 9a.

Plastic, or semi-plastic, sealing material 26, such as lead or the like,is'to be placed in all. or a part of the slots 6; I, I0, 20, 24 and 25,just prior to assembling the members of the vault in their finalpositions.

All of said parts which are attached to the vault, are integrallysecured to their respective elements of the vault and to each other,whereby there can be no leakage or seepage, either internally orexternally, from or into the vault.

In practice one should first place the body of the vault, including thebottom thereof, in its final position. The casket, containingthe body tobe buried, is then placed inside the vault. A small quantity of thesealing material '28 should now (or previously) be placed in the slot IDat least, and also in the slots 6 and l, and better still, the contactfaces of the tongues I, 4, 5, 2 and I, should be spread with the sealingmaterial. Now if the top of the vault be pressed'downwardly into itsfinal position, the sealing compost will be properly distributed, by thepressure, to make absolutely tight joints to wherever it reaches.

At the instant when connection transpires, the ridge Qa will be forcedinto its corresponding channel of the ridge 5a, thereby automaticallylocking the members of the vault together in a unitary structure which,after the sealin come post has set and-hardened, can be taken apart onlyby the destructionof the vault. In the alternative structure embodiedinFig. 5, the main difference is that the bottom portion separates fromthe body portion, in place of the otherwise the operation issubstantially the same a as that described-inthe first instance,- andtherefore further description thereof would add more to 'prolixity thantoclearness of comprehension.

From the above description it will be apparent that I provide a vaulthaving a compound Joint of separation, and of such a nature that thesealing materialis so fully protected,-and the line of demarkation is sosinuous, compounded, and in.- terlocked, that it will be impossible forit to deteriorate or leak.

his to be understood that various changes may be made in the severaldetails herein set forth, without departing from the spirit of myinverttion or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof which are newand useful and which involve invention.

Having now fully shown and described my invention, what I claim, anddesire to secureby Letters Patent'of the United States, iaa 1. Incombination with a burial vault comprising an upper member and a lowermember which members are adapted to fit together to provide a completeinclosure with tongues formed integral with each member of the vault andlocated near thedivisional line of the two members of the vault withslots opening upwardly and downwardly alternately with relation to thetwo members of the vault with the tongues of one of said members adaptedto enter the respective slots of the other member of the vault, sealingmaterial placed in said slots, before the tongues are placed therein;interlocking means for furthersecuring the two members of. the vaulttogether and comprising a concavo-convex ridge formed around two of theadjoining tongues whereby the convex side of one of said ridges willnest in the Joncave side of the other one of said ridges, but only whenthe casket is :fully closed.

2. In combination with a burial vault; a plurality of spaced apartdownwardly extending spring tongues forming a plurality of downward-' 1yopening slots extending around the vault, a plurality of spaced apartupwardly extending spring tongues forming a plurality of slots extendingaround the vault and adapted to interlace with said downwardly extendingtongues, means provided on certain of the tongues for se-- curing theadjacent tongues together in nested position when the downwardlyextending tongues and the upwardly extending tongues are inserted in therespective upwardly opening and downwardly opening slots.

3. The herein described means for providing an impervious joint entirelyaround a burial vault at the juncture of the upper and the lowersections thereof and consisting of a plurality of vertical tonguesprojecting alternately upwardly and downwardly from the upper and thelower sections respectively and resting in channels which openalternately upwardly and downward- 1y from both the upper and lowersections, and

means formed entirely by the shape of certain of said tongues forinterlocking them together and for retaining all of the tongues in fullyinserted position in their respective channels but per-.

mitting them to be withdrawn from looking position only by excessiveforce applied thereto, said interlocking means being entirelyinaccessible when the vault is in closed position, substantially asshown and described.

4. A burial vault comprising a top portion and a bottom portion, aplurality of spaced apart tongues projecting upwardly from around theupper edge of the bottom portion and forming upwardly opening channelstherebetween, a plurality of spaced apart tongues projecting downwardlyfrom around the lower edge of the top portion of the vault and forming aplurality of downwardly opening channels between the last mentionedtongues and adapted to receive the tongues of the bottom portion of thevault, segmental hollow ridges formed around horizontally in certain ofthe upper and lower tongues with said ridges adapted to nest togetherwhen said tongues are brought to their nesting position.

5. A burial vault comprising in combination,

an upper and a lower body member which members are adapted to fittogether to provide a complete inclosure, tongues formed integral witheach of said members and located near the divisional line of saidmembers and with slots formed by the spacing of said tongues andextending upwardly and downwardly alternately with relation to saidmembers, with the tongues carried by one of said members adapted toenter the respective slots of the other member, interlocking meansadapted to secure said members together, said interlocking meanscomprising a concavo-convex ridge formed longitudinally around in twoadjoining and oppositely disposed tongues whereby when the said twomembers of the vault are in fully closed position said ridges will nesttogether and clamp said two members of the vault-together to form atight joint and permitting said members to be forced apart only by theapplication of super power applied in opposite directions with relationto the two members of the vault, and means which after an interval oi.

' of a two-section vault, the adjoining portions of which aresubstantially identical with each other with each formed toprovide aseries of spaced apart tongues whereby a socket is formed between eachtwo of the intermediatetongues of each of the adjoining portions of thevault, and means formed wholly by the contour of certain of theoppositely disposed tongues for interlocking the adjoining portions ofthe vault together when the two sections of the vault are placed intheir final closed position.

7. In a burial vault having an upper and a lower member which togetherare adapted to provide a complete inclosure, tongues extendingdownwardly and upwardly respectively from said members, interlockingmeans adapted to secure said oppositely disposed adjoining tongues together, said means comprising concavo-convex ridges formedlongitudinally of the vault by the adjoining tongues whereby when themembers of the vault are in closed condition said ridges willautomatically spring into nesting relation with each other and therebyclamp the members of the vault together but permitting them to be forcedapart only by outside power applied in opposite directions with relationto the upper and the lower members of the vault, and means for sealingthe two members of the vault together which after an extended intervalof time will permanently prevent the separation of the upper and thelower tongues by reason of the inadaptability of said tongues to movelaterally to free them from nesting position with relation to eachother.

8. In combination with a burial vault comprising an upper and a lowerbody member each of said members having tongues adapted alternately toenter a channel of the other body member, means for securing the tonguesof each of said members in connection with the tongues of the other oneof said members, said means comprising a hollow segmental ridge formedby pressing a portion of the material of the tongue out of alignmentwith the major portion thereof whereby the ridge of one tongue willspring into the hollow of the ridge portion of the tongue next theretowhen the two members of the vault are brought into closing connectionwith each other.

9. In combination with a metal burial vault, interlocking means for thetwo members of the vault comprising downwardly extending tongues carriedby the upper member of the vault, upwardly extending tongues carried bythe lower member of the vault, hollow ridges formed horizontally aroundboth the upwardly and the downwardly extending tongues with the ridgesof either set of tongues adapted to spring into and fit tightly in thehollow formed by the ridges of theother set of said tongues with thetongues of one set of said ridges retained in the hollow of the otherset of tongues by the clamping inclination of the two tongues towardeach other, and means for rigidly securing said tongues in their nestingcondition.

